When A Girl Gets Frisky
by BrDPirateMan
Summary: Shiki is a girl who's usually shy, reserved and conservative. However, she suddenly and mysteriously becomes naughtier and more playful around Neku. Amid a whole slew of changes including sexier clothes and a suggestive sense of humour, will a confused Neku ever get used to her new self?
1. Chapter 1

**When A Girl Gets Frisky… (Part 1)  
**by BrDPirateMan

It was hard for Neku to sleep tonight.

He was excited, and rightly so. Tomorrow he and his girlfriend Shiki were going on their very first date, and boy was he nervous. Under his blanket he was trembling like a dry leaf.

This date, he felt, simply had to go perfectly. His friends tended to stick in a group and do everything together, which made it hard for just the two of them to hang out. There were times when he tried to get together with Shiki for a while, but nothing would work according to his wishes.

If Neku and Shiki had noodles at a ramen shack, Beat would probably be there eating, and he'd spot them and get them to join him, ruining their chance for peace. They might bump into Rhyme while taking time off at the local park; she did like quiet places. And as for Eri? Shibuya was her oyster, so she was _everywhere_ – 'nuff said – almost like she was magnetized to their very presence. Even a leisurely stroll through the streets would end up with all five friends walking together.

And that was precisely what got the couple fed up to the teeth. Was there ever a time when they could have even five seconds to themselves? Make no mistake, though: Beat and company were a sensible bunch. They just weren't sensible enough to leave them alone.

Then, like lightning from the sky, a miracle happened.

During one particular weekend, these three idiots disappeared one by one. Although this certainly hinted at a macabre turn of events, the truth was anything but. Beat and Rhyme went on a family trip, while Eri went to Osaka to visit some cousins of hers. Everyone was still alive, of course, but none of them was in Shibuya.

Their absence was temporary and they would return soon, but the most important thing for the couple was that _they were absent_. Now they could finally go on that first date they had always wanted without any further disturbances.

"The timing couldn't be better," said Neku. "We've got the whole weekend to ourselves. And they wouldn't be around to bother us."

Shiki was as excited as he was. "Yeah. Finally some good news!"

"I'll say!" He clasped her shoulders gently and looked her in the eye. "Okay, there's no time to lose. We must immediately make our plans for the date…"

"No need for the mad rush," she laughed. "We've got two whole days, right? It's Saturday now, so let's spend today outlining the itinerary for the date."

"Oh, you got a good idea going there. We can take the whole of today making our preparations. Then tomorrow, it's showtime."

Seeing that he understood her, she smiled at him. "I know we're inexperienced in romance but I do know that first dates ought to be… magical. Ha ha… Do I sound overly dreamy to you? I just want it to be something special to look back onto in the near future and say, 'Remember our first date? We sure had fun'."

Neku could feel himself blushing all the way to his ears. "I… I agree. Okay, we'll brainstorm for now and then spend the rest of the day psyching ourselves up for tomorrow!"

"For someone who normally keeps a cool head," chuckled Shiki, "you sure are high-strung. Loosen up… It'll be fine."

They felt it would be better to not be so greedy about their date. As Shiki had put it, sometimes the best things in life were the simplest. This first outing into the world of romance would be nice and easy, not too heavy. Love was best taken at a slow pace.

The two quickly threw together a plan. Nothing too complex: just sundaes at an ice-cream parlor, followed by a walk in the park, and if time allowed it, maybe even a movie. Not the most terribly exciting thing ever, but it was effective and they were satisfied with it. Dating would be better in time to come when they were bolder and more comfortable with the very concept.

Finally, a golden opportunity to spend alone time together undisturbed! Both boy and girl were ecstatic. They wished for nothing more than the day to be over and for Sunday to come around.

But returning to the main event at hand… Neku was still having trouble sleeping.

He was excited, to be sure, but he was also very apprehensive. "Would everything be okay?" was the question he kept asking himself. It was hard to blame him for this. As a newbie where dating was concerned, his fear was well-placed though mostly unfounded.

Eventually, after asking himself that same question for the 248th time, somehow or other he managed to doze off.

XOXOXOXOXO

He stared at the alarm clock in shock.

Today was Sunday and it was also the day of his much-awaited date with Shiki. He was supposed to meet her at the Statue of Hachiko at 10 am.

Neku had just woken up by himself. Apparently the alarm didn't go off for some reason, and what time was it now?

10 am. Sharp.

"Aaaargh! I'm late!"

This wasn't happening. First date and he was already running late! That was taboo! He flew around his home like a tornado. Having breakfast and getting dressed up were done at supersonic speeds. And when he was out of the house at last, he tore down the streets like he had lost his mind. Never mind if anyone thought he was a lunatic.

As he did a Carl Lewis through the city, all he could think of was, _Shiki's going to be mad at me. She must have been waiting at the Statue of Hachiko… I made her wait for so long! Why didn't I get a new alarm clock? It wasn't working all that well to begin with. Argh, I just hope things wouldn't be so bad…_

The Statue of Hachiko loomed into view, and Neku promptly made a beeline for it. Even with his speed, the matters of the morning like breakfast and such had taken time, and it was now 10.20, meaning that Shiki had been waiting for him for at least twenty minutes. Twenty! You don't make your date wait for that long and expect to get away with it! He shuddered to think how badly she would scold him.

However, when he arrived at their meeting place, Shiki was nowhere to be seen. At first, he was puzzled. Then a horrible thought occurred to him…

_She must be so furious at me_, he thought, _that she decided not to wait for me anymore… She left by herself! This is the worst!_

He leaned against the statue, pondering over his mistakes in despair and thinking about how he could have easily avoided all of this. There was nothing he could change now, so he felt that at the very least he should think up of the best and most sincere apology and tell Shiki that he was sorry for being a fool. He was so wrapped up in his little cloud of gloom that he didn't notice that someone was peering into his face at close proximity.

When he happened to look up and see the face of the unknown visitor, he jumped in shock. She was so near! Wait… she?

"Sh-Shiki? !" He rubbed his eyes and took one good stare to be sure, but it really was her.

She giggled softly at his reaction. "I was wondering what you were up to, brooding like that. Did you wait long? I'm sorry if you did… I only just arrived."

"R-Really? Oh, I… I see." Relief washed over him. "I only just got here too, so – uh? !"

Shiki saw how he was now staring at her with a look of incredulity and was puzzled. "Neku? What's wrong?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it wrong… But what's with those clothes you're wearing? !"

He was confused and startled. Shiki was a shy girl with a conservative dress sense. Apart from her school uniform, one would rarely see her wearing anything out of the ordinary. Her usual ensemble of green blouse and black capris was something of a trademark of hers. Neku had known her long enough to know that she was generally uncomfortable with anything else.

So why was she now in a crop top and mini-skirt? The short sleeveless jacket she had on didn't do much to cover up what little decency she had left. It was almost like she transformed into a completely different person. He could barely recognize her, all the more so because she even ditched her old glasses for a pair of trendy ones with rectangular lenses.

"Oh, these?" she said, every bit nonchalant. "Ahaha… To tell you the truth, Eri was saying just the other day that I should broaden my horizons in fashion, so now I'm taking her advice for once."

"Ah, um, I see…"

She looked away briefly and rubbed the back of her neck, seemingly embarrassed. "H-How does it look on me, Neku?"

Her new look was refreshing though a little jarring. He was used to seeing Eri flaunt her body freely in public, but Shiki doing the same thing was a bit strange. She was cute and pretty but he never really thought she could make the cut for sexy material. Never once did he even imagine her to dress up like a pin-up model. Still, she didn't look bad – maybe even a touch desirable – and she definitely knew her stuff. He only hoped that his hormones wouldn't go too crazy.

"It's fantastic, Shiki," he praised. "It's a different look, but I like it."

"Hee hee! Glad you do! I made these clothes myself, just like I did with Eri's. As a matter of fact, they _are_ essentially Eri's clothes, but with a different colour palette. I mean, I love green." Feeling slightly cheeky, she added, "Anyway, mine are better, of course."

"Y-Yeah… I think so too." Neku tried his best to act cool, but he was so surprised by her new appearance that he ended up more sheepish than anything.

"Thanks! Well, today's the day. Our first date! Excited?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" With the issue of her bold choice of apparel out of the way, it was time to move on to the most important matter at hand. Yes, the date that both had been looking forward to with so much anticipation!

"I'll be counting on you, Neku. Let's go and have fun, shall we? After all of the setbacks we've had to endure, we truly deserve this."

He let out an involuntary gasp when she curled her fingers around his arm, much like how a bride would hold onto the groom's arm. This was something he didn't prepare himself for, and while he had goosebumps everywhere, he sure wasn't complaining!

"Something the matter?" she breathed.

"Um… uh, it's no big deal… L-Let's go get us some sundaes, eh?"

"Hee hee… You're cute."

Cute? She just called him cute. They had been going out for some time now, but she never really said things like that. Neku found it strange, but otherwise he paid it no mind. In any case, what she said made him feel great inside, so it was all good in the end.

Neku quickly saw something that he had never seen before. As they were walking down the streets, he saw a goodly number of eyes riveted their way. People were actually looking at Shiki, noticing her presence, and without a doubt it had to be because of her flashy clothes. Pedestrians whom they walked past turned back for second glances. Guys were practically ogling, while girls stared in awe. He even thought he caught a glimpse of someone surreptitiously snapping photos of her with his cell phone.

He wasn't used to all of this attention Shiki was getting, and he was getting seriously embarrassed for both of them, even though she clearly wasn't. For someone who had just taken her first baby steps out of her comfort zone, she sure was acting pretty cool about it. Was this a good thing or bad, he wondered?

The last straw came when they passed by a couple of thugs, lean in build and making a sordid first impression. They had been eyeing Shiki intently, and once the couple had strolled past, they started talking all manner of frightening things. Neku didn't really hear what they were saying all that much, but he did pick up the part where "that chick'll be ours for the taking once we slit the throat of that spiky-haired punk."

"Neku?" said Shiki. "Neku! Slow down! Wh-What's the rush?"

"Sorry, no time to explain," he gulped. "Things could get hairy if we don't get a move on!" He was this close to tearing her arm off from dragging her with him in a mad dash through the streets.

"I know the ice-cream parlor is famous for its chocolate fudge twirls but they wouldn't run out of seats so quickly. It's only half past ten in the morning, after all…"

Neku wanted to believe they were rushing there to find a place to sit. He really wanted to believe it…

XOXOXOXOXO

"Safe!"

"…Safe?"

"Yeah," said Neku. "Both of us."

Shiki giggled. "You must really have a maniacal liking for sundaes."

_That's not it_, he thought, _that's not it at all…_ He had been running the whole way to the parlor, with Shiki in tow desperately trying to keep up with him (she must have been a most amusing sight struggling to do so in her new kitten heels). Now that they were relatively safe and sound at their destination, he hoped that the hoodlums he was so scared about had already lost sight of them.

"Hey, Neku," chirped Shiki, "let's take that corner table. It's more private over there."

She was right. The table that got her attention was tucked away in a corner. The seats were the huge bench types that were fixed to the floor and had high backs which could provide some concealment. Private indeed! Ah! At last the two of them could share their most tender moments together with impunity.

It would be some time until their food came so they took the time to get comfortable, being the lovebirds that they were. But as they got to talking it was obvious that something was bothering Neku in some way, and Shiki noticed.

"Neku? What's the matter? Are you okay?"

"Oh! Um… I-I'm fine, Shiki! Really, I am!" He tried to disperse any doubts she might have had, but it only got her more worried.

"You can tell me, Neku. We're going out, you know? A couple should be ready to listen to each other."

He noted the kindness in her words and smiled. "Thanks, Shiki. Well, it's nothing much to be honest. It's just… I'm gonna need to get used to your new look."

Shiki's face fell a little in disappointment. "You… You don't like it after all?"

"N-No… It's not like that at all!" Neku was starting to panic a little seeing that he had upset her. "I love how you look. But seeing you wear something so, uh… _sexy_… out of the blue gave me a bit of a surprise, is all."

"Yeah," chuckled Shiki modestly. "It's quite embarrassing for me too, actually."

Confusion was etched into his face. "But while we were walking just now in front of so many people, you seemed fine…?"

"Um, see, Eri's pep talk helped me plenty! She said that if I ever get the jitters wearing stuff like this in public, all I had to do was imagine that everyone was a potato. Because potatoes have no sense of fashion, you see?"

"I… I don't see how that last statement makes sense… But oh well." He gave her a broad smile. "You seem to have gotten over your anxiety, so it's not a bad thing. Even if your ways of venturing into new territory are somewhat unorthodox, I still say it's all good. The world ends with you, right?"

"Yeah!" She beamed at him brightly, making them both feel a lot better. Then, with a deep red colour on her face, she muttered, "…I sure feel naked though."

_In a sense_, thought Neku, _you are…_

He had to admit she had a lot of guts to work the sudden transition from plain Jane to eyeball-melting knockout. Was this the beginning of a new Shiki? Perhaps it was best that he started to get used to this, but judging from how he was secretly liking her bold new dress sense, it wouldn't take very long at all.

However, something about the old Shiki was still appealing to him…

The sundaes did not disappoint. The couple found a hearty snack in them and had high praises for the parlor, and now they were washing it all down the throat with soda. Yes, they were happy. Not only was the parlor the place to go to satisfy their sweet tooth cravings, it was also useful for couples who liked dating in peace. Our hero and heroine were sure to mark this place as a suitable spot for further dates in the near future.

"…Oh, it was a total riot, Neku. And… and to top it all off, Beat even had to freak out over it non-stop, which made him look even sillier. The things he does! And then – Neku, you're not listening!"

"Buh? ! S-Sorry! I kinda spaced out for a bit!"

Shiki, in a display of mock annoyance, said nothing and cast a narrow-eyed gaze at him.

"Whoa… Shiki?" gulped Neku. "I'm sorry… Um, please don't kill me. You wouldn't, right?"

"Depends," she replied, though she was secretly enjoying this. That was when a deliciously evil idea came to mind. Inwardly she smiled and decided to go for it. But to get to that, she first had to ease her foot out of her shoe…

"Ahaha… Anyway, Shiki. I'll listen real good right now, so what was that about Beat and nnnngghh? !"

She propped her head on one arm and continued to gaze straight at him, though she was starting to smile.

He was cherry-red in the face and sweating buckets. "Uhhh… Shiki? ? ?"

"Mmm?" was her purposely lazy reply.

"I… I know you l-love me as much as I love you, b-but…"

"But?"

"C-Could you not, um, play footsie with me right now?"

Oh yes, that was what she was doing. Playing footsie with Neku. Trailing her toes up and down his shin with her bare foot. Having a whale of a time watching him squirm. How she loved seeing him get all tense and agitated. Beat's personal brand of flakiness was funny, but for her, Neku was at his funniest when he was forced into a tight spot with nowhere to run.

It just so happened that he was wearing the baggy white cargo pants he was so fond of. This left his entire shin exposed for her to molest with her foot. Good stuff, even if it was a mite disturbing.

"Shiki, er, are you listeneeEEEE? !"

She had just ratcheted up the tension up a fine notch by snaking her toes further up this shin. Watching him stiffen up like a dead body in response to her actions was funny.

"What's wrong?" said Shiki nonchalantly. "The soda's good, right?"

"I-It's kinda ticklish…"

She grew a broad smile of mischief. "The soda is ticklish?"

"No! Listen… c-could we not do this right now? My hair is seriously standing on end. I mean, if… if you really are keen on this, y-you could do it when no one's around, at least… I dunno…"

Seeing that he had been pushed to his limits, Shiki decided enough was enough and finally let him go. It wouldn't do to have Neku collapsing from the mental strain of being felt up like that. As soon as she pried her toes away, he looked visibly more relaxed, though still shaken.

He breathed a sigh; whether of relief or to release the heat that had been boiling from within, it was unclear. But his face was a brilliant shade of red and that violated leg of his was tingling. "Whew… Wh-What was that all about, Shiki?"

She didn't answer his question directly, instead going for an ambiguous reply, "Hee hee… Neku, you really are cute." It was suggestive enough to twist his insides into ribbons.

"Um… okaaay…" He didn't know what to make of that. Was he supposed to feel happy and celebrate, or feel outraged like he had been groped on the train?

…

**Author's note: There is a good reason Shiki is acting out of character here. Everything will come to light in the later chapters.**


	2. Chapter 2

**When A Girl Gets Frisky… (Part 2)  
**by BrDPirateMan

Next stop was Miyashita Park, where the couple hoped they could take in the sights and fully indulge in each other like every other couple does. It had been a long time since they could walk around holding hands without Eri barging in from behind them exclaiming, "Hey! What's up, lovebirds?"

Miyashita Park had few people in it at a time, and today was no exception. So they pretty much had the whole place to themselves and they could be as lovey-dovey as they wanted without fear of making other people sick.

Shiki had no problems watching the horizon of Shibuya but it was a little more difficult for Neku. She was leaning over the railing in a relaxed manner, propping herself up on her elbows, and in so doing, her whole body was set in a jaunty angle. An angle where, he noted almost painfully, her behind was poking out rather obviously. His eyes soon found themselves straying to the small of her back, which was exposed and looking mighty scrumptious. In the end, the view he wound up enjoying was not that of the city but of Shiki. She was gorgeous beyond words…

"Sure is quiet around here, huh, Neku?"

"Y-Yeah…"

Shiki saw how fidgety he was and fixed a quizzical gaze at him. She cocked her head slightly to one side. "Neku? What is it? Is something the matter?"

Her words yanked him back from the dream-like state he had gotten himself in from staring at her for too long. But as anyone would tell you, when you first wake from a dream, it's not easy to compose yourself so quickly. And sometimes you have been embedded in that dream for long enough that you can't think straight yet. The sudden change from fantasy to reality caught Neku off guard and he couldn't talk right.

The reply he managed to fumble went, "Huh? Oh, um, you're perfectly sexy, don't worry!"

He meant to say "I'm perfectly okay, don't worry." Darned slip of the tongue, you know… It happens…

The wide-eyed stare that Shiki was giving him instantly told him he had made a mistake with his words. And that it was too late to take it back. He did try, though.

"Bwuh? Uh, ahaha! Wh-What I really meant was – ! ! !"

She pressed her finger to his lips gently, with a smile all the while. Confused at first, he eventually kept silent and calmed down.

"Thanks, Neku," she giggled, lifting her finger away.

"Y-You heard it?" He was a little horrified, but it didn't feel so bad because she seemed to take it well.

"I have good hearing."

"O-Oh…" He glanced away to avoid her gaze, blushing all the while.

Seizing the chance to inject a little more fun into things, Shiki decided to tease him. Overall, Neku was a cool-headed guy, but when it came to his girlfriend, he would quickly turn into a nervous wreck and his common sense would become muddled. She had grown close enough to him to know how true this fact rang whenever he was faced with delicate romantic matters. And often, what he said was so warped and different from what he _meant_ to say, that it was hard for her to keep a straight face.

"Or… did you really not mean what you said after all?" She even pretended to sound hurt. But inside, she was waiting for the fun to begin.

"No… No, that's not it," he stammered, trying to redeem himself. As expected, the things he said next were proof positive that his thinking processes had already gone haywire. "I really think you're hot. Honest! Ice-cream sundaes can't even start to compare."

An astonished yet amused Shiki cupped her mouth in her hand in a show of surprise. Neku knew that somewhere along the line he had made a fool of himself.

"…Did I say something strange? Again? …P-Please say no."

Although she laughed good-naturedly and appeared to shrug the matter off, the growing blush on her face indicated that she found his words flattering, even if they were accidental. She nudged him in the arm. "So now you're comparing me to food? Well… I'll take that as a compliment."

Unused to her playful new approach towards life, he stumbled on his words again. "Whoa, hey now, don't get the wrong idea! I mean, i-it's not like I'm going to eat you for breakfast or anything!"

Shiki was pushing her bravery to the limits when she tried her hand at another kinky but fun reply, "Then what about lunch?"

"L-Lunch? !"

It all happened so quickly. His sweet girlfriend lying on a platter wearing nothing but parsley sprigs and lemon slices on her bare body… That image was something that could only be born from a guy's mind with too many hormones to spare. Her playful words made it all happen. It flitted across his mind's eye for a mere half-second, but the impression it left on him was so deep that it was too much for him to bear.

He couldn't take the mental strain and fainted. Shiki gasped in shock as he crumpled in a heap right on the spot.

"Neku? !" she cried, kneeling to his side. "Hey Neku! Are you okay? ! Say something!"

Just before the poor boy passed out completely, he did manage to utter a word or two.

"…Pass the ketchup…"

"Ketchup…? H-Huh? ? ?"

Then the world went black around him.

Shiki was left trying to decipher the meaning of his strange message as she tried over and over to revive him.

XOXOXOXOXO

"More… marshmallows…"

"Neku? You finally came to! Hey, wake up."

"…Yeah… I love ketchup."

"No, idiot, _wake up!_"

Neku had finally awoken after being out for at least fifteen minutes. The whole time he was unconscious, he had been heavily engrossed in his dream world where Shiki was the main course. Not that he had a secret desire to be a cannibal, of course, but with his girlfriend looking so delicious in his dream, he came close to becoming something like one. But the details were best left as they were…

As he adjusted to his surroundings, he realized that he was still in the park and that he was lying down. Beneath his head was something soft. Funny… If the park had no pillows, what had he been sleeping on all this time?

A closer look at the person above him and he could deduce the answer.

"You fainted just now," said Shiki with a soft smile, "and you had me real worried! I'm glad everything's alright now though."

"Sh-Shiki?" gulped Neku. "Am… Am I resting on your lap?"

She gave a small chuckle. "I didn't want you to rest with your head on a hard bench, so this was the best option." An awkward-sounding cough on her part, and she then added, "It's a little embarrassing… so if you don't mind…?"

He understood and hauled himself off of her… grudgingly. _Just gimme another minute_, he wanted to say to her. But no, this was something that simply wasn't done in public. It was best reserved for those quiet evenings when they could be back in the privacy of their own homes… assuming their parents weren't around, which they were almost all of the time. That was another matter though…

"So, Neku… Feeling better?"

She heard a low groan as he rubbed his neck and tried to shake the sleep out of his head. "I'm fine. Sorry for that."

"Heh heh… Think nothing of it. Are you tired though? If you are, then best we head on home so you can rest. We can always have another date next ti–"

"What? No way!" snapped Neku, wide awake. His sudden outburst caused her to recoil by instinct with her hands held up. In a gentler manner, he continued, "S-Sorry. I mean, it's not often that Eri and the others are away all at once, so today's pretty much the only day we have where we can have fun in total peace. Besides, it's not even lunchtime. And I'm still going strong." He flexed a muscle to drive home his point.

Shiki broke into soft laughter. "You're funny. Okay, if you're really really sure, then let's go someplace else. But anytime you're pooped, let me know."

"Mmm? Shiki, what is it?"

She was biting her lip, apparently in deep thought, contemplating something. But what really got his attention was that she had this growing blush on her face.

"Shiki, what's wrong? You can tell me." Feeling a little braver, he wrapped one arm around her shoulder to show that he cared, and she almost squeaked out an "eep" in response. Now both halves of the idiot couple were hopelessly red in the face.

"P-Promise me you wouldn't laugh or freak out?"

"Of course. Hey, you know me best… I don't break promises."

"Thanks." She unconsciously sidled up to him closer, enjoying the security of his embrace, but couldn't look at him because in her eyes he was glowing with a radiance that was absolutely blinding.

She took a deep breath.

"Um, if… if it's okay with you, Neku…"

"Yes?"

"…could you… ot… ing… me…"

He couldn't catch the last few words; they were all but an inaudible mumble. "I beg your pardon?"

Shiki shook her head. "Oh no, j-just forget it, really. It's nothing at all."

Now he was curious. Even if she wanted so desperately to wave it off, he simply had to know now. The wiles of a girl in love were both convoluted and intriguing, and he wanted to know more. If she was hesitant to talk about it, then it must be something very interesting indeed.

He hugged her closer, hoping that closer body contact would be a good incentive to get her lips flapping. "You're the girl I care about the most. You can tell me anything."

That helped her to relax a little, although it did little to lessen the heat lingering on her cheeks (if anything, it made them warmer). But she also had a smile for him, which was good news in itself.

"Th-Thanks," she quavered. "I do trust you. You're my partner and my boyfriend. So… anyway, um, how should I put this…"

Neku patiently waited for her. It took her a worryingly long while for her to gather up the courage to speak.

After she threw caution to the wind, she used one full breath to say it all out. "Well, I was wondering if you could come to the hot springs with me."

"Oh, so this is what it was all about!" said Neku, his voice thick with an "Oh, I see" tone. "This was what you'd been trying to tell me… The hot springs, right? Ahaha… Why didn't you just tell me? It wouldn't have been a pro–"

Pause.

And an explosion. "–BLEM? !"

Both of them recoiled like a bomb had gone off between the two of them. And what a bomb it was! As they stared in shock at each other for different reasons, a million thoughts were flying about in his head.

The hot springs, she said? Wasn't that a public bath? The perfect place to calm the nerves and soothe tired muscles? That little slice of heaven where nubile young girls like Shiki loved to frolic about in the waters and scrub each other's backs? …_The_ hot springs? !

And he was going to one, together with Shiki? This was a dream come true!

But… was he really ready for it? Was he really prepared to set his eyes upon her body? What she was wearing now might leave little to the imagination as it was and it was still fine, but in the hot springs where any and all inhibitions would be cast aside, she wouldn't have a single thread on her. Nothing. Was he prepared for such a sight, or would he fall into a coma from sensory overkill? Never mind if she was in a towel or if she was just a silhouette masked by steam… the fact remained that she was gloriously naked.

Then inwardly, he slapped himself upside the head. What was he doing, dithering like a fool? He had to be a man and make a stand for himself. He had to be honest about his feelings. Another great opportunity to be together had presented itself to him and if he didn't grab it in both hands, he was a rightful little idiot. And so he grabbed it!

"Neku?" gulped Shiki. "I'm sorry… I knew you wouldn't be comfortable with – "

"D-Don't be ridiculous! I'm very happy that you're inviting me to the hot springs. Of course I'm glad we can go together!"

Her face lit up. "You… really don't mind?"

"Not at all. It's a fantastic place to relax and all, so what's the harm?"

"Thanks!" she giggled. "We're going to have to take a train, so shall we get going?"

"Yeah. Let's get a move on. I can't wait… to get there… yeah… Mm-hmm. Good stuff."

"N-Neku? Um… you're drooling…"

XOXOXOXOXO

It was when they arrived at the entrance of Teppeki Inn that Neku suddenly remembered something important.

Hot springs were certainly infamous for a lot of obvious reasons, chief among them the fact that people were all bathing in one group and that everyone was as bare as the day they were born. And it was only natural for healthy young men like him to ponder about the many "possibilities" that could arise from sharing the bath with other members of the opposite sex.

But there was one thing.

At the hot springs, the baths were split into a men's section and a women's section. There was no way he could enjoy it together with Shiki! It just wasn't possible! They would have to be separated, wouldn't they? !

"Neku?" stammered an alarmed Shiki. "Wh-What's wrong? Why are you clutching your head? G-Got a headache?"

"Ungh… No, I'm fine… Just… My bubble burst."

"Huh? ? ?"

A disappointed Neku was so oblivious to his surroundings that he didn't even hear what Shiki was saying to the innkeeper, who was making arrangements for the two of them. Not a single word got into his head. Only when she nudged him in the arm did he shake out of his stupor somewhat.

She was as chipper as ever. Maybe because, he reasoned dolefully, she wasn't going to be in the bath with a boy. What a shame indeed. But of course there was no chance in hell they'd ever get into the same –

"So, um," began Shiki, "were you listening?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm sorry. I kinda spaced out for a bit…"

"You've spaced out one too many times today, Neku."

"S-Sorry…"

"Anyway…" She was fiddling with her fingers and looking from side to side, avoiding eye contact with him. Why, though? "Uh, well, I made bookings for us to use the baths, and…" Her voice petered out.

"Um… and… Shiki?"

There was a colossus of a frog in her throat and she took great pains to swallow it down before continuing with utmost caution, "To make a long story short, the innkeeper noticed how we were a couple and was so impressed by our, uh, closeness that she was kind enough to let us use one of their reserved baths for a discount."

"Oh… I see. A reserved bath. So then –"

He paused. All was quiet. Somewhere outside, a cicada could be heard buzzing about…

"Huh? !" he boomed. "A… reserved bath? !"

Shiki nodded. "Y-You know what that means, right, Neku? We'll… be sharing the same bath… and on top of that, it'll be just the two of us…"

"Whoa, whoa, hang on. L-Let me at least get this straight for a sec…"

Inside his head he did a quick analysis of this situation. It was almost mathematical the way he went about it:

_Reserved bath = going in the bath together = sharing the bath with Shiki = alone with Shiki_

_I'm going to be alone in the hot bath with Shikiiiiiii…? !_

His mind went blank. Were his ears working properly? Did he actually just hear the impossible? That he and Shiki were going to have a bath all to themselves? Together? ! What was the meaning of this?

But she didn't falter one bit. Sure, she was still fidgeting and looking away to avoid his gaze and it was all cute, but she wasn't screaming like the Shiki he knew would have done by now if she heard she was going to sit in the hot springs alone with a naked boy. No, she had this smile on her face, a smile that should not normally be there in these circumstances. Why was she smiling anyway? And to top it all off…

"I'll see you inside, 'kay, Neku?"

And with a giggle, she zipped away to the women's changing room with what he perceived as a spring in her step and could not be found.

Neku stood there, eyes staring wide into the air.

In the meantime, the innkeeper, who was a nice middle-aged lady, had seen the whole thing unfold and was chuckling. "Ho ho ho… It's nice to be young."

A thoroughly embarrassed Neku made for the men's changing room like greased lightning, but not before he heard the innkeeper calling out from behind him, "Have fun, kids!"

XOXOXOXOXO

Neku had never felt so nervous since the day he confessed to Shiki on the rooftop at school. Since that day it had all been good but right now was an entirely different matter. Holding hands and going out were hardly an issue for the couple now, but sharing a bath – and naked at that – was like a new dimension that they had yet to step into. Perhaps even more unsettling than the nudity and potential kinkiness was the fact that a girl like Shiki was more gung-ho about it than he was.

_Deep breaths,_ Neku recited to himself. _It's just a dip in the water. Nothing special. It's like going to the pool… only without clothes. B-Big deal! Right? Oooh… no good… can't visualise that happening at all…_

He happened to look downwards as he got undressed. To his horror, down below he found himself to be a bit too straight and long for his liking!

"Gah!" It didn't even take one second for him to cover himself up in his towel. _God, just let me survive this day…_

He rushed off for the reserved bath to avoid further embarrassment. But when he actually reached it, he couldn't bring himself to go inside. There he stood, in front of the curtains where he knew that just beyond them was the bath in question. He shivered not from the cold but from anxiety and anticipation. The girl of his dreams was inside…

A number of mishaps could happen if he was careless so it was easy to see why he was hesitant to enter. What if he walked in on her while she was taking off her towel? What if she was in the bath already, but his sudden appearance startled her so much that she stood up, forgetting that she was still naked? What if…?

She would hate him, right? Yes, that's what he thought. After the awkward two-second delay where she was fully exposed in front of the boy she loved, she would scream bloody murder, slap him in the face… and maybe drown him in the bath in anger. Sure, today she may have been pretty bold already, but he didn't want to take any chances!

"Neku? Wh-What're you doing?"

Startled to the bone he spun round, and his girlfriend was there, already wrapped in her towel. His breath caught in his throat. He had never seen Shiki in only a towel before but she remained just as beautiful as ever. This was an image he would forever etch into his mind.

"Whoa," he said, "d-don't scare me like that, Shiki… Hang on… you weren't inside?"

"Uh… no. Why?"

"Oh, um, never mind…" So he had been worrying about nothing. He could have just gone in and nothing would happen because she wasn't even there in the first place.

But then that meant they'd have to go in together, which in turn meant… he didn't know. Yet. His brain was too muddled up right now from the sight of his towel-clad girlfriend to think straight. No matter what she was wearing – or what she wasn't wearing as the case may be – she was always cute. But as for what getting in the bath together might entail, he would find out soon.

She took his hand and pulled gently. "What're you waiting for, Neku? Come on."

"Huh? Come what?"

"What else," she laughed softly, "do you think we're going to do, silly? Let's get in. No time like the present!"

She wasn't the least embarrassed! He just gaped in shock as he was led inside the bath area by her. What had come over her? Was there something wrong with her? On any other day, she'd have blushed at the very thought of seeing a naked boy and said something like "No! I can't, I can't, I just can't!"

But today…

He seriously wondered if the next stop on their date should be the hospital, so he could have a doctor check and see what was wrong with her. Until then, he had yet to climb what might be the most difficult mountains in his life (nothing to do with Shiki's breasts).

The bath area was small and compact but cosy-looking. It was self-contained too, with all the amenities one would expect from a hot spring, such as soap and shampoo and whatnot. A tall wooden fence was erected on all sides so they were safe from peeping Toms. They could have all the privacy they wanted. Not that Neku was contemplating anything particularly unsavoury to do to Shiki, of course!

"It's a lovely place, don't you think, Neku?"

He was too preoccupied with sneaking glances at her to properly answer, though. Just like back in the ice-cream parlor. "Y-Yeah…"

"Oh, by the way," said Shiki, "towels aren't allowed in the bath, so we're going to have to take them off before we get in."

"Okay, sure – wait, WHAT? !"

Shiki winced from his outburst. "H-Hey, calm down. Like it or not, that's one of the rules of Teppeki Inn."

He gulped and grew very red. "But… But isn't that a bit much? !"

All she did was shrug. "Rules are rules… Just deal with it. Now, would you kindly turn around? I need to take my towel off."

"Y-You mean here? !"

"Neku, are you scared that someone will peek at me?" With a chuckle she lightly reached up to ruffle his hair affectionately. "Don't worry! The fence is very high and it's not like there are any tall trees nearby for people to climb and get a good view. Besides, with you here I feel secure. Aren't you supposed to be my knight in shining armour? So you'll protect me, right, Mr Knight? You'll cut down anyone who dares to peek at me, right?"

"Sure… C-Count on it." Then could he cut himself down?

"Hee hee… I knew I could trust you, Neku."

Her words only served to confuse and torture him further. _She said she trusts me_, he thought to himself, _but I keep having these dirty thoughts about her! My heart isn't pure! Shiki, please don't say things like that… I'm not worthy! ! !_

The trials and tribulations would continue for a boy who often had not-so-innocent fantasies about his girlfriend, yet loved her so much that he wouldn't dare to lay a finger on her.

XOXOXOXOXO

Somehow or other the two managed to slip into the bath together after casting their towels aside. Miraculously they didn't even catch sight of each other's naked bodies as they were getting in, so all things considered, their _onsen_ trip was looking pretty good so far.

Shiki was enjoying herself tremendously as she sat in the warm water right next to Neku. "Ahhh…! This feels sooo nice. I feel like I've been reborn once more."

"Yeah…"

"I'm so happy you agreed to come with me, Neku."

"Uh-huh…"

"Neku?" Shiki's voice was but a gentle whisper. "You've been awfully quiet, even for you."

"Oh, don't mind me. It's just that it's peaceful here and I wanted to, you know, soak in the bliss for a bit."

She understood what he was getting at and nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean. Hot springs are supposed to calm and revitalise the body and mind, right? Hee hee… great minds think alike!"

"I'll say…"

For Neku, the truth was that the experience was calming on neither his body nor his mind. His every muscle was shivering badly, and his body temperature had quickly risen to dangerous levels, and it wasn't from the heat of the water. His feelings were conflicted; the infamous battle raged on fiercely between his inner angel and demon. Should he make a bold move now and risk backlash from her, or hold back and wait for a safer time?

Above all else, however, there was one thing that was constantly on his thoughts.

_Damn_, he groaned inwardly, _I can't see her beneath the water surface. Everything's all fuzzy…_

To Neku, Shiki was the prettiest girl to ever walk the earth. All he could see of her was her bare shoulders and a hint of the top of her chest, but the sight was enough to fling him into nirvana. He knew he was the luckiest guy in the world right now, but men could be such greedy animals who were never satisfied with just a peek at cleavage and he was no exception. Being a teenager who loved girls as much as the next guy, it was hard to blame him for this. But every attempt to pierce his line of sight through the water surface ended in failure.

They do say heaven is reserved for only the chosen ones… perhaps he just wasn't one of them. Too bad for him…

Eventually he resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't be seeing his girlfriend in the buff with his own eyes anytime soon. Disappointed yet hardly surprised, he just sat there with this faint hope that something exciting might happen. She _had_ been pretty bold, right? If she could play footsie and crack kinky jokes with him, what was to stop her from, say, fawning over him in the bath like some masseuse?

_Hmmm…_ Now, that _would_ be nice. A back rub by Shiki? Sure sounded good…

"Neku?"

"Huh?" Her sudden intrusion into his thoughts startled him. "What is it?"

The way her fingers were poking above the water surface and twisting with each other was awfully endearing. And the reddish tint on her face threw her cuteness factor through the roof. She had a coy smile…

"Neku, could you turn around?"

"Oh, do you need to get out of the bath? I understand it can get a bit warm in here."

"Ehe… No, it's not like that. It's just something I wanted to try. So… if you don't mind?"

He wasn't sure what to think, but agreed to do as she asked anyway. "…Sure, I guess. I'm curious though… What're you up to, Shiki?"

No sooner had he voiced his question did he feel her hands on his back, and he gasped. He felt them grip onto his shoulders lightly, near the base of his neck. And he heard her playful little giggle behind him.

"I'm going to give you a back rub, Neku," she said, in a happy mood. "Is that okay?"

"Huh? ! Oh, whoa, um…" His imagination really was spot-on! Shiki was actually going to give him a back rub? Being pampered by his girlfriend in an open-air bath… this was great! It was like something out of a dream. However, he was too excited to think straight, and he faltered for a suitable reply. The delay caused her to have second thoughts.

"If you're not comfortable with it," she said kindly, "it's alright."

"No, no, I'm fine! There's nothing wrong with that! I'm just… no one's given me a back rub before, so I don't know what I'm supposed to do and stuff."

Shiki chuckled. "You just need to relax, my dear customer. Leave the rest to me. I shall give you the full treatment."

The full treatment? ! She made it sound like there was more than just a simple back rub, like she was going to massage every part of his body! He was shuddering in anticipation of what would happen next. He could hardly wait. Not for a full-body massage, of course – that'd be just absurd even for her – but if she was anything to go by, he could count on something nice to fantasize about for days afterward.

Slight sleaziness aside, she was doing a surprisingly good job kneading his back. Her hands were deft and gentle yet firm, and although he had little idea of how a back rub should feel like, he did know that he liked it.

"Is there anywhere that itches, dear customer?" cooed Shiki, enjoying herself. "I can take care of it."

"No, uh… I'm fine. You're doing great, Shiki. But your hands are gonna get sore…"

"Tee hee. I'll be out of business if I can't satisfy my customers' needs. I can wash your hair next, if you'd like."

He snorted in amusement, "Y-You're really getting into the whole act, aren't you?"

"Why, naturally!" she giggled. "A bit of role play now and again is essential for the growth of a healthy relationship."

"R-Role play? !" He shuddered at the word. "Shiki… that word sounds awfully kinky, you know…"

"Why worry, Neku? It's just the two of us in here… No one's going to see us. I trust our innkeeper friend knows that what a couple does behind closed doors is strictly forbidden. She wouldn't peek. So we can be as naughty as we like and it'll be okay! Hee hee!"

Did she actually just say something amazing? Could he take this as a sign that Shiki was receptive for more sexy but harmless fun? If he played his cards right, he might just be able to take an active stand in this date and do more… things with her. Maybe things might take a touchy-feely turn and he could be lovey-dovey with her in a way he never would have imagined possible. Nothing X-rated, of course, but how the myriad possibilities made him shiver with delight!

"Oh, wow. The steam…"

"Hmmm?"

"Ehe… The steam is fogging up my glasses. Can't see a thing."

He snuck a look behind him. Still no 'accidental' glimpses of his girlfriend's… you know, but she was still a knockout with those lovely bare shoulders. And she could be so cute. Even when she was merely taking off her glasses, everything she did had this element of undeniable cuteness that he simply couldn't ignore.

"Hey, Shiki," he asked offhandedly, "how is your eyesight?"

"It's 20/50…"

"Wow, that's not very good at all. Without glasses you're pretty much blind, huh?"

"Yeah, I'd have to practically stick my face right at something to be able to see it. For example, if I want to see you clearly, Neku, I'd have to get…" Much to his shock she swooped in very near to his face. "…this close!"

There was barely a few inches between them. The close proximity of her pretty face was causing massive palpitations in his chest. They were really close. Close enough to kiss. He could reach out and embrace her… The temptation was hard to bear, but it all depended on how willing his girlfriend was. He wouldn't force her.

Only the faint sounds of lightly bubbling water filled the air. It was so quiet that it almost seemed like they were cut off from the rest of the world. They stared at each other, entranced by the moment.

"Sh-Shiki, you're a little too close…"

"Hey, Neku… wanna make out?"

If he had been drinking something at that time, he would have expelled the drink in her face from the shock. "Wh-What's with that all of a sudden? ! Kissing… you don't mean…? !"

"You mean you don't want to?" She pretended to sound hurt. "But… But we've been going out for a while now… What is more, kissing is the kind of thing couples do, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah, but… not in a hot bath when we're both naked!"

His outburst amused her enough to tease him again. "You're really old-fashioned, Neku. Nowadays couples don't wait for autumn when the cherry blossoms are falling to kiss and exchange vows. If the place seems about right and the mood is good, who cares if it isn't autumn, right?"

Shiki did drive home a valid point, but he wasn't convinced. Regardless, however, he conceded, partly because of his own feelings. "Alright, you got me, Shiki. If you claim it's really okay with you…"

She sat and raised her head, eyes half-closed, waiting for him to do the deed. "Hee hee… Of course I'm okay with this. Then… I'm counting on you to make this kiss a good one."

_I've never kissed before_, thought a bewildered Neku. _How do I go about doing it? I've got no experience. Let's see, first things first… I've got to get closer. And then maybe…_

Slowly, cautiously, he crept nearer, hoping to get into a good position. His hands clasped onto her shoulders to keep her steady, then he leaned in at a snail's pace. By instinct, they closed their eyes, waiting for bliss to envelop them. Shiki had asked him for this favour, so he was going to make darn sure he would do a splendid job of it. He's Neku Sakuraba and he was going to prove to her just how fantastic a boyfriend he really was by giving her the most amazing kiss ever…

Alas, things don't always work the way they should. Apparently, he miscalculated the distance between them and as he was leaning in, he lost balance and started to topple forwards. He let out a cry – "Whoa!" – which startled Shiki enough to open her eyes, but it was too late for her to react accordingly. The last thing she saw was him hurtling towards her like a comet.

Then their heads connected in a crunch that was as painful as it sounded…

…and they passed out.

The innkeeper heard their muffled screams and came running over to see what was wrong. Imagine her shock when she saw the couple floating in the water with their faces down like a pair of corpses.

XOXOXOXOXO

Teppeki Inn had its own infirmary to treat customers who suffered from heatstroke and fainted while in the bath. Every year without fail, someone would fall victim to the heat or hormonal overkill, but our hero and heroine were the first people in the inn's 85-year-long history to find themselves in this infirmary from smashing each other in the head.

Neku was most apologetic for messing up big-time. "I'm sorry, Shiki… If only I was more careful…"

"Ahaha… I didn't think it was that big a deal," said Shiki kindly. "There's always a next time, right? Besides, we've got matching bandages! Cute in a way, don't you think?"

He reached up to feel the gauze on his forehead, which was still sore. "I… I get that it's like matching T-shirts, but I doubt it shares the same charm…"

"Hee hee… Well, at least we had fun in the bath. That counts as something."

He saw how cheery she was despite her bulging head injury and felt a little better about himself. He made a blunder of what could have been their first kiss, but like she said, there were other opportunities. When next time came round, he promised, he would definitely get it right.

The inn's very own physician said that they were fit to go about their business and the two emerged from the infirmary. Their injuries made it hard for them to go elsewhere for fun so they would go home after this, but right now, they wanted to enjoy the ambience of the inn a little longer… Neku certainly wanted to stay, since they were wearing yukatas (light robes) and Shiki looked simply delicious in one.

"Here, have one," he said. "I got these from a vending machine. It's said to be really good after a dip in the bath."

"Fruit milk?" She lit up and took a bottle from him. "Ah yes, I've yet to try it myself but I heard it's fun to drink it all in one go. Wanna try?"

He had no idea how that could be fun, but… "Why not?"

They cracked open their bottles of fruit milk and stood poised to drink. "Welp, here we go," giggled Shiki. "Bottoms up!"

Like synchronized dancers they sucked it down the throat in perfect unison. Neku couldn't explain it, but the taste and texture of the cold milk as it sloshed through his gullet was soothing. He could feel the coolness spreading throughout his body from his stomach. And it was, like she had said, a lot of fun. While he was still drinking, he stole a sideways glance at Shiki…

…only to be greeted by an incredible sight. She was drinking it down, her head tilted backwards and her lovely neck in full view. The leaves of her yukata parted just the slightest bit, and he fancied he could just about see her cleavage. Shiki was a total knockout. _Whoa_, thought a fevered Neku, _cute! ! !_

Unfortunately, he was so dazzled by the sight that, unknowingly, his lips parted from the mouth of his bottle, and the entire remainder of his fruit milk dribbled out and onto his robes. He cried out in surprise.

Shiki saw this but wasn't so clumsy like he was that she'd repeat his mistake. "Neku? !"

He looked down at his robes and grumbled at the mess he'd made. "Oh, crud. I got careless."

"Man, what a waste. Here, you can have the rest of mine." She extended her bottle of fruit milk towards Neku with an innocent-looking smile, but he didn't take it quite so well. Needless to say, like many times that had happened today, he was shocked.

"Sh-Shiki, by any chance," he stammered, "is that the bottle from which you were drinking earlier? !"

"Uh, yeah. What's the problem?"

Drinking from her bottle… wasn't it like an indirect kiss? ! "And… And you're okay with that? You know, with – "

"It's nothing to make a storm in a teacup over," she chuckled knowingly. "Lovers don't usually have any qualms about this sort of thing. Do you?"

"N-No, of course not… I'm just saying, well… uh, never mind…"

"Then… don't be shy now."

He could hardly hold her bottle steady, no thanks to his shaking hand. Simply lifting it to his lips was a most insurmountable task. But it was when the milk washed over his taste buds did he finally short-circuit and… well, everybody should know the comedy routine by now…

_So good_, he thought, inwardly crying in gratitude, _Shiki's milk tastes so good! W-Wait, "Shiki's milk"? ! Th-That sounds gross, doesn't it? ! Me and my head! Ah, but… it's so delicious… And… I've just kissed her indirectly… wait… ugh… my head is… fuzzy…_

"Is it good?" cooed a grinning Shiki.

"Fruit milk… is awesome." He just stared into space. "Now, Shiki, if you don't mind… I need to faint. In peace."

"Huh? !"

And he did. Melted into goo right on the spot in an overdose of sensations. Shiki was trying her very best to revive him, slapping him on the face lightly over and over. But nothing helped. He was hopelessly unconscious.

"Neku? Neku! Hey, don't faint on me again! …No good. He's out cold. Maybe… he's allergic to fruit milk?"

It was more like he was allergic to love. And his own hormones.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the odd couple, the innkeeper was having a guiltily good time peeking and eavesdropping on them from around the corner. It was taboo to invade people's privacy, she knew, but Neku and Shiki were such an adorable couple that she simply had to see how things were going with them. And so far, she was satisfied.

"Oh my," she gushed. "To be young again…"


	3. Chapter 3

**When A Girl Gets Frisky… (Part 3)  
**by BrDPirateMan

As the couple was taking the train back home, Neku did a bit of thinking.

He simply couldn't get the nagging feeling out of his head that Shiki had been acting in an awfully strange manner. Everything she had been doing had been totally out of character for her. Sure, he had secretly liked how she had been behaving, but the Shiki he knew would never wear such daring clothes in public, or play footsie, or take a hot bath with him.

Now that Neku's senses were mostly back in place, he could think clearly enough to come to one undeniable conclusion: something was up with her. There had to be! But… what?

The curiosity was killing him. He had to find out. And he would do it today, by hook or by crook! And so, he hardened his heart and prepared to ask her some tough questions… No, nothing could change his mind about getting firm with her; not even Shiki looking so cute as she was resting her head on his shoulder could stop him. He had to do this.

After all, he could always faint in happiness later.

XOXOXOXOXO

The train ride almost felt like someone had pressed the fast forward button and after fumbling through a short walk together, Neku was finally standing before the front door of Shiki's house.

He hadn't actually thought about how to ask her about her personality transplant. To be exact, there were a lot of ways he could go about it, but none so far was suitable. For example, he couldn't ask any of the following…

"Hey Shiki, mind telling me why you've been acting like a tramp?"

"Is it something you ate?"

"Did you lose a bet or something?"

He had to be really gentle about it. This was their first date and he didn't want to end it on a bad note by asking something potentially delicate. But nothing came to mind.

"It was fun, Neku," said a beaming Shiki. "Thanks for hanging out with me today."

"Well, don't mention it. All things considered, I'd say it's not a bad first date."

She puffed up one cheek in mock annoyance. "What do you mean, 'all things considered'?"

"Heh, don't take it personally," he said, his smile small but genuine. "It's just a joke. But you know, it'll take a while for me to get used to your new look and everything. Of course I don't mean it in a bad way. It's like, I dunno, riding a bike for the first time. A bit awkward, but still exhilarating."

He expected her to retort with a witty comeback but she just giggled, making him feel self-conscious all of a sudden. Had he said something foolish?

"I… I know my humour isn't the best round these parts, Shiki, or my analogical prowess for that matter, but…"

Shiki abruptly left the matter as it was and changed the topic to a decidedly more… unsettling one. "Hey, um… my parents aren't in right now, and they wouldn't be back for another hour or so. So… wanna come inside?"

"Huh? !" He grew flustered for a good reason. "Gee… isn't that a little too soon?"

"I've got your favourite soda in stock, you know."

"Th-That's not it! ! ! Aren't you being a little too careless? Inviting a guy into your house so quickly… That's like asking for trouble. You should know what I mean!"

She blinked at him owlishly. "Remind me again just how many times you've been to my place, Neku? Actually, you're starting to seem like an extended part of my family already…"

"Mnngh… I… I wouldn't deny that." It was the truth. Neku had visited Shiki on a good number of occasions to date. It might have been for her to tutor him in some subject he was struggling with, or some other harmless reason. And yes, he had met with her parents before, who were generally comfortable with him. But that didn't mean it was alright if Mum and Dad caught the two of them together alone in the house! It would be disastrous! The end!

He tried once more to get through to her. "Shiki, um… look, I just don't know if it's a good idea… I mean, it's hard to find privacy for ourselves, but it's still kind of embarrassing, you know? And I know we're good people and all but in the heat of the moment the temptation can be hard to resist. See, it's just not done doing things like that right now, and…"

"Here, Neku. I got you some refreshments."

"Oh, thanks." He took the glass of soda from her and sipped. Ah, it was his favourite –

Suddenly he noticed he wasn't standing outside the front door talking to Shiki. Instead, he was sitting on the couch in the living room of her house.

While he had been going on about being cautious and the importance of chastity, Shiki had gradually led him into the house. Apparently she had coaxed him inside as he was talking and because he was so absorbed in his words he failed to see anything strange in what was happening. It was all the more understandable since he was familiar with the environment of her house by now. His body had been on cruise control and his mind was too preoccupied to override it! So now he had found himself in the very situation he had been trying so hard to avoid.

_How… How did this happen? !_ he wailed in his head. _Hooooow? !_

Despair gave way to fright as he started to think about what Shiki might be up to next. If she could be so playful today then what was to stop her from pouncing on top of him when he least expected it…

The real-life Shiki saw how badly he was fidgeting and grew worried. "What's wrong, Neku? Is the soda no good?"

"No, it's tasty. But…" He drew a deep breath to calm himself. "…on the off chance that I do something weird, be sure to slap some sense into me."

"Huh? !"

"…N-Never mind."

Neku was in a tight spot. He couldn't just leave; it would be rude. But if he stayed with his girlfriend sitting so close to him and looking sinfully scrumptious, he feared that even he might not be able to hold back. Since escape was impossible, he would have to sit it out till the forces of the universe intervened in his favour. Till then, he pretended he was a monk-in-training and sat perfectly still, and tried his hardest to purge his mind of any unclean thoughts…

"Neku…"

That was Shiki calling him. He didn't dare to look at her. His eyes were fixed on his soda. He couldn't fall to his urges now, no he wouldn't. He was supposed to be a monk. He was supposed to have a mind as clear and pristine as the ocean…

"Neku, um… could you kiss me?"

That broke his concentration completely, and in a split-second, whatever imaginary monastery he had been attending kicked him out. Now he was back to being the slightly neurotic guy that he was.

"Shiki? Wh-What's this about? ? ?"

She had a tint on her cheeks and a sugar-coated smile to go with it – a sweet image to take to the grave, to be sure! "Hee hee… uh, we never actually kissed back at the hot springs. We may have missed our chance back there, but now that we've got the whole place to ourselves, it'd be okay if we kiss a little, right?"

He was sweating by the bucketload. "I… I dunno… I mean, don't get me wrong… It's not like I don't want to do this kind of thing, but…"

"Then where's the harm in a little playfulness between the two of us?"

_Not good_, thought Neku, who was starting to grow delirious. _Not good at all! She's too cute! If she keeps this up, at this rate, I might just lose control of myself!_

Just when he thought things couldn't get any more challenging for him, she ratcheted the tension up a notch. Apparently she noticed how slow and passive he had been the whole time and she was getting fed up with it, so she took matters into her hands by acting even more seductively. She actually climbed onto the couch like a cat, crawling up against him. This surprised him so much that he stumbled backwards, smacking the small of his back against the armrest.

"Whoa, hey, Shiki? !"

She just crept closer until their bodies were so physically close it was quite obscene. Usually it was the guy doing the aggressive stuff, but today…

"Neku," she whispered at point-blank range, "you're so uptight today. You okay?"

"Huh? Um. Uh. Well…"

"It wouldn't take one minute." She continued to try and sway him to her side. "Kissing is supposed to be amazing, so why not? And it's just like you said: with privacy so hard to find, we don't get chances like this often. So… interested?"

Neku thought he could hear jazz music playing in the background, the kind one might hear in the movies when things were about to take a turn for the sexy, like a torrid love scene or something. It was all in his head, though.

She was drawing nearer, and her breath was getting warmer on his face. Now was a great chance to seize. The two of them could spend the free time that they had just smothering each other stupid and having fun… yeah, that would be awesome. But something didn't feel right. There were so many factors that contributed to his unease, including her unusual behaviour and the proximity of her scantily-clad body, but above all else was the fear of being caught by her parents.

A horrible thought suddenly came to him. They would have the whole house to themselves for a good while now, but what was to say her parents wouldn't come back earlier? And if they did, the worst possible nightmare scenario might play out… perhaps like this…

"_You fool!" roared Shiki's father. He had Neku held up in the air by the neck and the poor boy was struggling to breathe. Meanwhile, his girlfriend's pleas fell on deaf ears. The father, gentle and soft-spoken as he may be, was still a father after all, and all fathers were overprotective to some extent. And he couldn't forgive this boy!_

"_How dare you take advantage of my precious daughter!" he continued with his booming voice. "For your punishment, I shall castrate you!" In his free hand was the sharpest, most dangerous-looking pair of scissors the boy had ever seen. Its blades gleamed with death. Boy had he never been so scared of scissors in his life!_

"_Wait!" screamed Neku. "Dooooon't!"_

_SNIP –_

"AAAAHH! ! !"

"Eeek? !"

Back in real-life. So it was all just a figment of his imagination, which was good, though frightening! He was panting heavily and his face had gone deathly pale, and though he was tempted to check if his… well, _that_, was still there, he chose not to. Shiki was already alarmed from his outburst. What would she think if he went and grabbed his crotch for seemingly no good reason?

But spending the rest of his life as a eunuch was a possibility he couldn't ignore. In his panic, however, he couldn't convey his fear properly enough to her.

"Shiki!" he screeched. "I… I can't do this!"

She was rightfully confused. "Wh-Wha…? Can't do what?"

"I'm sorry! I can't kiss you here. If I do, I'll be castrated!"

"C-Castrated? !"

The look on her face was enough to make him realize that he wasn't making any sense. Instead of explaining, however, he chucked the matter aside and decided to voice the thoughts he had been having all this time. He thought that he might as well get it over with since it was seriously giving him the shivers. After the obligatory clearing of the throat, he spoke up.

"Uh… never mind about that. And sorry. Say… Shiki. Mind if I ask you a thing or two?"

"S-Sure. What?"

"Please don't get mad when I say this, but… you've been acting real strange today, and it's a bit unsettling…"

She gulped at his accusation. Neku knew that look. Whenever Shiki was hiding something that she would rather not have him know, and he guessed correctly somehow, she would stiffen visibly, like a charley horse but without the pain. Both were growing teenagers going through the inevitable phases of awkwardness and they knew all too well about each other's little quirks as well as the things that made them tick.

"I beg your pardon?" said Shiki, trying to act like nothing was wrong. Then she launched a last-ditch effort to dispel the tension by trying to laugh it off. "Oh, I get it. Li'l ol Neku is shy, huh? That's cute! Ha ha! It's so – "

He clapped his hands on her shoulders as a silent way to shut her up. And his eyes just bore straight into hers. Simply put, he looked plain serious.

"Shiki."

"Y-Yes, Neku?" Now she was getting a little bit scared of him.

"Are you really Shiki Misaki?"

"Wha…? Of course I'm me! Don't claim I'm some kind of body-possessing alien or something!"

"But Shiki wouldn't even think of wearing a mini-skirt." Neku prodded further, gradually driving her into a corner. "And for her, footsie is out of the question. Yet she did all those things and even spent time with me in a hot spring! I'm not sure if Shiki would do things like that."

At this point, she was feeling the pressure of the interrogation and buckled a little. "Are… Are you saying it's wrong? That you didn't like it? And please stop talking about me in the third person!"

Hearing her distraught, he switched tactics and adopted a gentler approach. "I'm not saying that I didn't like it… It's just that, well, it'd be better if you acted like yourself."

With such a bold statement he knew he was taking a big risk. He raised his guard and waited for one of her two stock reactions: get mad and snap at his face, or deny everything and lie through her nose that everything was all in his head. But when she reacted relatively tamely – she just sighed and let her shoulders droop in defeat – it almost came as a surprise to him.

"Alright," she mumbled, "you win. I surrender. I'll talk."

"Sorry to put you on the spot, Shiki. Let's just say I'm feeling a bit inquisitive."

"I know. And I'm really sorry, Neku. But I didn't mean anything weird or bad with everything."

"So then… what is it all about?"

She was fiddling with her fingers nervously. "Not that I'm saying bad stuff about you or anything, but… I get the impression that you're starting to get bored with me."

Neku was taken aback by her words. He immediately protested, "Bored with you? Of course not! But… why would you think that? Did… Did I do something?"

"Not so much you did something but more like you didn't do anything, and that's the problem here…"

She explained further, "We've been going out for a while now, and I'm so happy that I can be with you. But for some reason, you've been starting to feel a little distant. I couldn't understand why. Because of that, I was worried that our love life might be on the rocks, so I thought that maybe I should, um, spice up our relationship…"

The last few words made her grow very red and Neku followed suit. "Spice up" was a very strong thing to say aloud… She continued:

"But I'm not well-versed in being sexy like Eri and some others are. I wouldn't know the first thing about flirting. But I couldn't just ask them for advice… it'd just be too embarrassing! They'd probably tease me forever and stuff."

"Yeah, I get what you mean. Then how did you learn to do those, erm, things?"

The faces of both teenagers were now a resplendent crimson. Remembering all of the naughtiness from earlier sent Neku into a blushing fit. Shiki herself was practically a living heater, a complete 180 degree change from the nonchalant, carefree image she was trying to portray the whole time today.

"Since asking around was a no-go," she replied, "I had to make do with what I found from various sources. The main issue at hand was, 'How do I grab Neku's attention and not let go?' I turned to magazines and websites for answers. I even had to join an internet dating forum to get the answers I needed so badly!"

"Y-You went that far?"

"Ah! Um, p-please don't misunderstand!" Now she was waving her arms frantically like she always had a habit of doing when she was in denial or trying to clear something up. "I signed up for the forum only to get answers, not to hit on guys! Honest."

"No, I… I believe you."

"Oh, um… then that's fine… Anyway, I learned a lot of things. And while it probably wasn't the best advice ever, at least I knew how to dress up right and play footsie and do back rubs and stuff. But it's still so embarrassing it's ridiculous, so I had to mentally prepare myself for the past one month! You had no idea how long I spent each day giving myself pep talk and positive self-imagery…"

Neku gulped. "So everything you've been doing today was the result of one month's hard work?"

"Yeah," groaned Shiki, burying her face in her hands. "But… God! It's still all so stupid in the end, wasn't it? I must sound like an idiot right now. I mean, for starters, I'd never shown so much skin in public in my life! All I wanted was for you to notice me more."

"Oh… well, then you definitely succeeded in that regard… ahaha…" But he shuddered to think how so many other people noticed her too…

"So I'm really sorry I had to put you through all of that, Neku. I had no intention of putting you out or playing pranks on you. I just wanted for us to stick together. And… that's the whole truth. Um, yeah."

A peculiar truth it was to be sure, but he liked how she was honest and told him everything he should know instead of dodging the issue. He liked how, after going through thick and thin in their lives, he could still trust her. But above all, he liked how she was still as much in love with him as he was with her.

Having had to endure admitting the facts to him, Shiki was too mortified to do anything but stare at the floor. She expected him to think she was weird or even plain stupid. But instead of the doomsday scenario she was envisioning, he ruffled her hair affectionately and offered her a smile.

"Shiki," he said softly, "I think I know what you mean by me ignoring you. But I wasn't actually doing any ignoring."

"Huh?"

"We haven't been a couple for a long time, and I don't know much about romance and how to be, um, lovey-dovey with you. I was afraid I'd screw up and you'd think I was a weirdo or a pervert and then our relationship would be in jeopardy."

His words took her by surprise. "Really?"

He laughed a little and looked away for a moment. "I'm always wrestling with my urges. 'Should I wrap my arm around Shiki's shoulder?' 'Is it too soon to cuddle together on the couch?' But I was always worried you'd get angry at me, so I never did anything. Maybe that's why you thought I was giving you the cold shoulder."

"O-Oh, is that how it was?" Her hands rose up to her mouth.

"That's why I've got to thank you, Shiki."

"Huh? Thank me? Why?"

"Because if it weren't for your antics today, I wouldn't have known the truth, and we would have carried on being clueless about how we _really_ feel about each other."

"Um," she squeaked, "y-you're welcome?"

"Oh, and, Shiki?" he added, growing sweaty palms, "Even though this new side of you is refreshing, I still like the old Shiki. I appreciate the effort you've been putting into keeping our relationship alive, but you don't need to go so far. …'Cause, uh… I already think you're sexy enough as it is, or rather – "

Shiki gasped and started flailing her arms, growing redder by the second. "Huh? ! D-Did you actually say I'm… sexy? ! Oh gosh! Wait wait wait… wait a minute. I… I couldn't possibly be… At least, I don't think I could really be sexy… in the way you speak of… I mean –"

He pulled her into a hug in an attempt to calm her down, and while it did stop her from talking, it did nothing to reduce her frighteningly high pulse rate.

Neku allowed himself a soft chuckle. "Now you're acting more like the Shiki I know, getting flustered easily. That's more like it! You know, this is just like that time when I first met you in the Reapers' Game. You were pretending to be someone you're not and you weren't being yourself, so I straightened you out. You're not going to repeat that now, are you?"

She understood what he was talking about and felt a little ashamed that she had forgotten the lessons he had taught her. "No, of course not… Sorry."

"No biggie," he said kindly. "We all need our refresher courses from time to time. As long as you get my drift, that's good."

"O-Okay…"

"But hey, I digress. I love you, Shiki. So… of course you're sexy to me. Ahaha… do I sound weird?"

Steam was rushing out of her head and she was too zonked out to return the hug, but he understood. She did manage to say one thing, though.

"Neku… I… I love you too. And no, what you said… was perfectly fine."

He smiled and gently released her. "It does my heart good to know we're still crazy about each other."

"Y-Yeah."

"By the way, you've stepped far out of your comfort zone today. Mind if I do the same?"

"Huh? …H-Hey. Neku, what're you – eep? !"

Without warning he pushed her down on the couch – gently yet swiftly he did it – and now she wound up lying on her back. Then he did the most inconceivable thing: while Shiki was still lying stunned, he kind of clambered on top of her, straddling her leg, towering above her, like some suave and handsome predator from a romance film.

The urge to scream again was right in her throat, but his steely-eyed gaze kept her in check. She may have been confused by this turn of events, but she was also hopelessly spellbound.

"Um, N-Neku…?"

"Just something I've always wanted to try," he said in a purposely low-toned voice. "You've had your fun teasing me today, and to be honest, I rather liked it. But now… it's my turn."

Shiki's heart skipped so many beats it could have flatlined right out. "Wh-What do you plan to do?"

Her very existence at this moment was an interesting oxymoron. Her bold clothes didn't match with her old, normally reserved personality. She had been extremely gutsy today about a number of things, but now, trapped and vulnerable beneath him she looked like a lamb. This contrast between meek and sexy was stark in its own beautiful way, and Neku was getting seriously turned on. He wasn't sure he could let go of her now…

"Neku?" repeated Shiki, half in fear and half in veiled excitement. "Wh-What are you planning to do to me? Should… Should I be worried?"

"Depends on how much you like it."

"H-Huh? !"

Neku was no less nervous than she was and it wasn't his style to play it cool like the titular spy from a 007 movie, but he did his best. Every word he said, he spoke with purpose and a piercing gaze. "I'm going to caress your cheek for starters… Then I'll glide my fingertips all over your neck…"

Shiki was already smouldering by the time he got to the part where "I shall then whisper in your ear about how wonderful you are. I wouldn't spare any details and I will say many, many things. By then you'd have let your guard down completely, and when that happens… I'll make sure your screams of ecstasy are the loudest thing that Shibuya has ever heard."

She stared at him incredulously. Was this really Neku? Was this really the cool and amazing boyfriend she had come to love and depend on? What happened to him? !

Neku let the heaviness of his words sink into her head before he next said, "Just ki–"

SLAP! ! !

"Ow! Why'd you hit me? !" He cupped his sore cheek where Shiki had slapped him. "You didn't even give me the chance to say 'Just kidding'!"

"Y-You were pulling my leg?" She winced when he lifted his hand off of his cheek to reveal a light red patch. "Ah…! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to… I thought you were trying to do something bad to me or… um, you _did_ tell me to slap you if you tried anything strange, but…"

"Ow… Oh well… That was a nice hit."

"Sorry, Neku! L-Let me see it at least." She reached out for his cheek and touched it gently with her fingers. By instinct, he wrapped his hand around hers, and this startled them both and caused them to jump.

But they didn't let go or recoil or anything. They just sat there on the couch, lost in their little world. What a world it was… a world that ended with them!

Eventually, reality – and embarrassment – forced them to look away, but even then, they felt very, very happy.

After a while, Shiki mumbled cautiously, "Um… you know, Neku… Even if you weren't joking, I think… I would have been happy."

Knowing he was treading on really thin ice, he said just as carefully as she did, "Happy… Even with the part where I push you down?"

"S-Stupid! Not that part!"

"Sorry!"

"No, um, I mean, well…" She was back in timid girl mode again. "When we're… more comfortable with each other, then perhaps that might be fine… I dunno… But right now, um…" Her glasses were fogging up simply from her own body heat. "Um…"

"Shiki?"

She swallowed hard and her voice was so soft he had to lean in closer to hear her out. "If… If we could just kiss, that'd be enough… for now."

"F-For now?"

"Idiot! D-Don't read into things!"

"Sorry! Again!"

For the next few seconds they didn't know what to do. Then, tired of nothing happening, Neku took the initiative. He reached out for her shoulders with both hands, but he did it in a faltering, stop-start kind of way because of how nervous she looked. She didn't reject him, however, so that was good news, and eventually he had her delicate frame under his fingertips.

_Heck_, he thought, _why am I shaking so much? !_ They had done this pre-kissing ritual before at the hot spring, so it shouldn't pose any problem by now, should it? And they were both _naked_ at that. After what he had gone through, this should be a piece of cake! …Although it was a fairly big piece.

He leaned in closer, and Shiki's heart danced around in her ribcage. His handsome face bedazzled the living daylights out of her. She didn't know what to think. All she knew was that the boy she loved so much was going to kiss her and that she had to return it with full enthusiasm! She moved in, waiting eagerly for when their lips would meet.

Their breaths were warm and fuzzy on each other's faces. They went in closer… and closer… and then…

"Shiki, we're home!"

Her parents had returned!

Everyone was frozen. Neku and Shiki, stuck in their embrace, stricken by horror from the appearance of the very people they didn't want to see. Mum and Dad, rooted to the floor, gaping at the sight of their daughter doing something totally inconceivable. The air was thick with tension.

The two teenagers had the same thought: "We're doomed."

Dad spoke first, and he didn't seem particularly thrilled. "Shiki and… Sakuraba. What on earth are you two doing?"

Shiki immediately sprang to life and she was understandably panicky. "Ah…! N-No, this… We weren't doing anything… honest!"

"Y-Yeah, that's right." Neku thought he should at least support her and make whatever lie she was going to whip up a little more plausible. "Nothing happening here. Nothing. Just… Just chilling."

Dad just frowned. "Chilling… with your lips? !"

It looked like he didn't buy it! Both teenagers broke out in a cold sweat. However, just when things looked like they were about to take a turn for the worst, just before Neku was about to raise the white flag and scream "Please don't castrate me! ! !", a miracle happened. In the form of Mum.

Her way of handling things had always been gentle. She didn't seem angry at all. With a smile she simply said to her husband, "Now, now, darling. Shiki's not going to be a little girl forever now, is she? I say we cut her some slack."

"But…"

"It wouldn't do for our poor girl to spend the rest of her school life without a boyfriend. That wouldn't make for some fond memories, right?"

"Still, at her age, it's far too dangerous to –"

Mum was on Shiki and Neku's side. In order to let them off the hook and defuse the situation, she pulled out the ultimate weapon to use against Dad. And it worked beautifully. Like a dream.

"Dear," she said, with a motherly grin, "don't be so harsh on Shiki. It's not like you didn't bring girls back to your place when you were younger. I should know. My, your parents got so mad at us!"

"Honey? ! What're you – quiet!"

"Promise me you'll give our Shiki an easier time when it comes to boys and I wouldn't mention about the time you suggested we spend Christmas Eve at a hotel."

"Gah! You just did!"

While Dad was left to fight a losing battle against his own wife, our two hapless teenage protagonists could only stare, incredulous. And if there was nothing more embarrassing in life, it was knowing what your parents had done in their younger, wilder years. The horror of it all! Shiki just wanted to get out of there.

"Mum, Dad," she said, "I'm sorry but we're going out for a while!" And she hastily grabbed Neku's hand and dragged him away from the craziest family scene she had ever been witness to.

"Oh dear, Shiki," called Mum. "If you're heading out, the front door's this way. You're going towards your bedroom."

What a mistake to make! The poor girl screamed and blushed as hard as her boyfriend. It wasn't like she wanted to bring him inside to reenact what her parents might have… attempted… oh well, it was just that: a mistake! A mortifying blunder to be sure but as long as nothing came out of it then all was well. She still needed to escape though. And milliseconds later she and Neku had dashed out of the correct door to the sound of Mum's chuckling.

They ran all the way to a quieter area of the neighbourhood where they could rest and catch their breaths as well as reflect over the day's events. When Neku found his voice at last, the first thing he asked was:

"Did your mum just blackmail your dad?"

"Neku," she said, shuddering, "some things are best left as they are. This is one of those things. P-Please never mention it again. I'm trying my hardest to erase my memories of what Mum said earlier and nothing's working."

"S-Sorry."

"No, actually, _I'm_ sorry." She suddenly felt very naked in her revealing clothes and wrapped her arms around herself, though it did little to shield her body. "I could've gotten us both killed if it weren't for Mum. Dad's an awfully strict person, you know…"

He just waved it off. "Nah, I'm cool. Don't worry about it."

Shiki still looked traumatized. He tried to think of something to say to calm her down, but remembered that he tended to fumble with his words at the most inopportune of moments and that this could be his downfall. Instead, he settled for a hug. He whisked her into his arms – an act that surprised her greatly – and just held her close. She was rightfully overwhelmed and her little gasp proved it, but otherwise she didn't flail and resist. This was looking like a win-win situation for both of them.

"Feeling better?" asked Neku after a while.

She mumbled her "uh-huh" into his chest.

"Um, if your mum is anything to go by, I don't think you'll have any problems with your dad."

"I'm not really worried about that," admitted Shiki. "I'm just in shock over what Mum said."

"Anyone would. But if it got your dad off our backs, then no problems there."

"I guess. Thanks, by the way."

"For what?"

She smiled and snuggled closer. "For being my boyfriend. You're such a nice guy."

He enjoyed the warmth of the embrace even more now. "…Well, I try. And… Shiki?"

"Yeah?"

She expected him to say the three magic words. Nothing would make her happier. She was already the happiest girl in the world right now as is; it couldn't hurt to be even happier, right? But when he whispered in her ear, his voice all sexily quiet and his breath tickling her earlobe, it was a far different thing from what she thought.

"…Your panties are showing."

She yelped in horror, but when she checked, her behind was safe and sound. No wardrobe mishaps here.

He just said one word in flawless deadpan fashion, "'Kidding."

"And to think you were bad at comedy, Neku. Hmph, not a bad try!" She slapped his arm, but it was in jest. The atmosphere was lighthearted, just the way they liked it. The fiasco with her parents was quickly forgotten and the two were back to being a silly couple in love.

"Say, tiger," drawled Shiki suggestively, "you still owe me a kiss."

"As demanding as ever, eh?"

"Oh, quiet. First kisses only happen once. It's important to get the mood and everything right. Mum and Dad are not here, and our friends are away, we're alone in a nice and quiet place, and we're mad over each other. What more could we ask for?"

They were standing around in a rarely-trodden road and not a soul was around to disturb their peace. As though things couldn't be any more convenient, a large tree grew nearby so there was some shade to make whatever monkey business they wanted to do a little less conspicuous. It was a good spot for some old-fashioned saliva-swapping.

And another plus point, for Neku anyway, was that Shiki still looked so darn cute. It was hard not trying to do something to her with the way she was dressed! But no, a gentleman would never give in to his inner desires…

An impatient Shiki pressed herself up against him and circled her arms around his neck. The touch of her ivory fingertips sent shivers down his spine. He didn't mind all of it one bit, needless to say!

"It's bad to keep a lady waiting, you know."

Neku found himself stuttering, his excitement growing. "I gotta admit, now I _really_ want to kiss you. Like, _now_."

"Then come closer."

They took five good seconds to gaze at each other – as a sort of 'getting ready' thing to make sure everything was in order – before taking the plunge into bliss. The gap shortened between them. Ten millimeters… five… they were so close they could almost taste each other's sweet breaths… just a little more now… just one tiny push…

"Hey, lovebirds!"

That cheery cry came out of nowhere. It startled them both. Neku was just about to strike gold with Shiki at that time too. Now, from an optimistic point of view, their kiss wasn't a total failure. He _did_ kiss her. But the shock caused him to miss his target, and he ended up kissing her nose.

It was the weirdest feeling ever…

The culprits responsible for this showed their faces, stupidly unaware of what the couple had been up to.

"Oi, you two! We back from Nagoya! How's you doing?"

"Hey, Neku, Shiki. We just finished up our family trip and met up with Eri here…"

"…and since I happened to come back early from Osaka, we figured the three of us might go pay you a visit to surprise you! When we saw you here by coincidence we were like, 'Oh hey here they are, why don't we go say hi!' Oh, and a bonus: I got souvenirs for all of us!"

Beat, Rhyme and Eri. Friends of Neku and Shiki's. The three stooges who would have been lovable on any other day but right now, they had messed up the long-awaited kiss and weren't so fun to have around.

The hero and his heroine had never felt more frustrated. Their time of solace was over!

Shiki wanted blood to spill.

"Neku? Shiki?" Eri peered closer at them. "What the heck are you two doing? Ooh, nice clothes, girl! Didn't think I'd see the day you'd be brave enough to wear a crop top."

Under her breath Shiki mumbled something, gently pushing Neku away from her nose. "…ots."

"Huh?"

"…IDIOTS! YOU RUINED IT! RAAAARGH! ! !"

"Whoa, Shiki? Ruined what? And you look like you're going to kill us… M-Maybe we'll drop by another time…?"

Whatever happened that fateful evening… was best left to the imagination…

XOXOXOXOXO

With the mood killed so badly, their first _real_ kiss was postponed to a later, as of yet undecided time.

At school the next day, Neku was sitting at the rooftop with Shiki. It was lunch break and the perfect time to be alone together.

"Well," he began, "hopefully Beat and the others will get the message. Especially after the heck of a scolding you gave them yesterday."

Shiki grumbled her discontent upon remembering how she was so rudely interrupted. "Emphasis on 'hopefully' with how they can be so stupid."

He was more forgiving, and surprisingly more optimistic. "Can't be bad. I'm sure they'll learn. Still, they showed up only toward the end, so thank heavens that the rest of our date before that went relatively unmolested. Oh, that reminds me, what did your parents have to say about the matter?"

"Uh… I think Mum kinda convinced Dad that it'd be okay for me to have a boyfriend. It didn't feel like Dad was completely willing but he just let it go… grudgingly though, by the looks of it. Maybe he'll mellow over time, but I'm not counting on miracles. We'd better be more careful in the future."

"That still can't be bad."

"He also made me promise not to wear those clothes again. Next time I'm caught in a crop top or mini-skirt… I'll get grounded."

"Huh? Oh…" Neku's voice became hushed in slight disappointment. "Then that's bad."

"What?"

"Um, nothing!"

Shiki cast him a sideways glance. "…You didn't just wish that you could see me wearing less, did you?"

"Huh? Um… nope. N-Nope, I didn't."

"That pause was awfully suspicious… but I'll let it go. And for the record, I'll have you know that I am not getting back in those clothes. It was hard working up the courage to wear them and there's no way I'm doing it again! I'm… I'm just not used to baring so much skin like Eri is."

His hopes of ever seeing her look so delicious again were dashed just like that. It couldn't be helped; she had always been the shy type. Maybe he should have taken a picture with her yesterday while he had the chance… The thought never crossed his mind, and now it was too late.

Or was it?

"By the way," she added, "are you free this Saturday?"

"I think so, yes. What's up?"

She fidgeted a little. "Wanna go hit up that hot spring from yesterday? Um… I think I could get us reservations for one of their private baths. Unless you prefer us going to our separate bath sections, of course, but…"

Why would he refuse? He didn't turn her down, nosiree. Not if he could relive their _onsen_ experiences again! A back rub here, a little kinky flirting there… this was the stuff guys his age lived for! A little too hasty for his own good, he cut her off mid-sentence, though it was only because he didn't want her to think he was uninterested. He chose some really inappropriate words to say, though.

"No, Shiki, of course I don't mind! Th-There's nothing quite like skinship and what better place to deepen it at a bath… uh, wait."

He saw the look of revulsion on her face and immediately regretted having a mouth with a life of its own. Girls didn't like it if you came on to them so forthrightly, and that was what he just did. The worst part was, he did it unintentionally.

Whoops!

"I… I know boys will be boys," stammered Shiki, shrinking away from him, "but this is a bit…"

"Hang on. I… I didn't mean anything bad by that, honest! It just kinda slipped from my tongue. I'm not gonna do anything weird to you! Wait… You were okay with the whole bath-sharing thing just yesterday! What gives? Hey, um, c-could you at least look my way when I'm talking to you? Please? Look, I'm sorry!"

Shiki refused to turn back to look his way. But if he had seen her face then, he would have found out she was actually stifling her giggles as hard as she could. She wasn't the least bit angry.

Boy, was she glad Neku was still the same old guy she came to love.


End file.
